Newsletter August 2025 - Agentic Workflow

Hey everyone,

The end of August is that special time of year when the kids go back to school and the chaos of summer eases into the familiar routine of fall. Whew. We made it. I kid, but only sort of. I love the fun of summer, but I also enjoy my routines. During the school year, it's easier to get into a writing groove, but the summer is when we have our adventures. I hope all of you had a chance to relax this summer.

Amidst all the chaos, I had time to think more about my writing career and I decided to dust off A Clockwork Murder, my hardboiled mystery set in a fantasy world and use it to search for an agent. I know the right agent is hiding out there, just waiting for me to come along. If it works, then great! If no one wants it like last time, then at least I'm learning how querying works these days and I'll get my name in front of some potential agents. That way, when I query Under the Diamond Moon, they will have heard of me. ABQ - Always Be Querying.

Step 1: figure out how querying works in 2025. The process has changed a bit since I last tried to get an agent 15 or so years ago. But it's fundamentally the same. I wrote my query letter and get feedback from my writer friends. Next I need to create a synopsis of the story. To do that, I reread it and it held up really well (in my opinion). I did find a few things I wanted to change, but those updates are going quickly.

The one new aspect of querying is that agents want to see "comps", a.k.a. comparable books to help them know that there's a market for your book and to help them understand how to build a sales pitch. I struggled, because there aren't many books that blend genres the way I do. I expected to have to comp with a straight mystery book as well as a steampunk fantasy, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a murder mystery set in a fantasy world. And as a bonus this month, I found a book that seems like a great comp for Under the Diamond Moon. Here they are, for your reading pleasure:

THE TAINTED CUP by Robert Jackson Bennett, a murder mystery set in a unique fantasy world that recently won the Hugo Award. I've only read the first chapter so far, but it seems like a great candidate as a comp for A Clockwork Murder.

ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders, a near future sci fi with fantasy elements about two people trying to save the world each in their own way but they clash. I think. I haven't read it yet, but from hearing people talk on a podcast, it seems like it will be a great comp for Under the Diamond Moon.

There you go, some fall reading. If you do read them, let me know what you think. It'll be our own little book club.

Until next month,
Todd